Chelsea's dream stays alive while City get back to reality

London: It took a first-half penalty for Chelsea to secure a 1-0 home win over Charlton Athletic and keep in touch with the top two in the premiership.

Apart from a late flurry of Adrian Mutu misses on Sunday, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's 28th-minute penalty strike was one of few chances at either end as Chelsea and fifth-placed Charlton operated below their best.

After the excitement of Saturday's matches, Sunday's fare was dull in comparison, the low-key Stamford Bridge game following an even more dreary 0-0 draw between Manchester City and Birmingham City.

Arsenal remain top on 58 points after their 3-1 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, a result that established a club record 24-game unbeaten start to the season.

Manchester United are second on 56 after their extraordinary 4-3 home win over Everton. The champions led 3-0 after 30 minutes but needed an 89th-minute Ruud van Nistelrooy goal to win it.

Chelsea remain third, on 52, with Newcastle United, 3-1 winners over Leicester City, fourth on 37 and ahead of Charlton on goal difference. Liverpool and Fulham are on 35 points.

Hasselbaink broke the deadlock after Mark Fish was ruled to have hauled down the Dutchman. The South African defender claimed Hasselbaink had been backing in but Fish had wrapped his arms around the striker and the referee pointed to the spot.

Charlton improved slightly after the break but there remained little danger until the last 10 minutes, when Mutu had three good chances. The Romanian, without a home league goal since September, over-elaborated to go round goalkeeper Dean Kiely and missed from a tough angle. He then hit the post before Kiely blocked from point-blank range when a goal looked certain.

For Chelsea it was revenge for their 4-2 defeat at The Valley on December 26.

After the fireworks of midweek, when Manchester City came from 3-0 down with 10 men to beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 in the FA Cup, it was back to reality at the City of Manchester ground.

The hosts had the better of the few chances but were denied by Birmingham keeper Maik Taylor.